OFF THE SHELF---Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles

Mini-lessons for Literature Circles

by Harvey Daniels , Nancy Steineke

Heinemann, 2004

Teachers and Student Interns often ask where I get some of my creative ideas.  I have to give a lot of credit to Harvey Daniels and Nancy Steineke's Mini-lessons for Literature Circles.  While Mr. Daniels previous books on literature circles provided a lot of theory behind the practice, this book provided actual lessons that could be quickly adopted or modified.  It is probably the single most influential professional text for activities that I have read.  I have adapted its tenets for other subject areas and units. 
Level: Professional

City Dog, Country Frog

City Dog, Country Frog 

by Mo Willems , Jon J. Muth (Illustrator) 

Hyperion, 2010

Summary:  Told in soft water colors, the City Dog visits the country and befriends the County Frog.  As the seasons pass, they play froggie and doggie games, until one disappears forever. It's use of parallel structure with each season makes it easy for younger readers to follow. 

Lesson:  I read this book as part of a book talk promoting new books in the library and the students loved it.  Several purposes jump to mind for its use in the library or classroom.  One is the seasonal changes that occur.  A second is the comparison with the original city mouse/country mouse tale.  Another is a biology lesson about animals and seasons/weather.  And a fourth is one about death being part of the cycle of life, and moving forward after it strikes a loved one.  Finally, that death is actually left up for interpretation, and so asking students what happened to the missing animal is a good discussion on reading between the lines. 

Level:  Kinder--3rd

Chalk

Chalk

by Bill Thomson (Illustrator) 

Cavendish, Marshall, 2010

Summary: In this wordless picture book, three kids use their imagination to make their chalk drawings come to life. 

Lesson:  The story was told by allowing each student to interpret a page of the story, since there are no words to the story. At different junctures, students were asked to predict what would happen next.  Students then went outside to draw on the sidewalk with chalk (can color inside on rainy days).  Book can also be used to show perspective, as the drawings are highly realistic and from a multiple of levels.

Level:  PreK-2nd